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Sunday, November 8th, 2009
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2:28 pm - FM-PMS
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current chapter word count: 5701 (This is getting ridiculous, I tell you! I'm almost forced to take a scribble pad to the restroom in case... *aaarrrgh!*)
scene(s) worked on today: Subaru-Michiko, kids in the park, Mariko, "When did you plan to tell me?!", out the backdoor, "Your mother's eyes." (basically the whole part playing in the East Gardens)
scene(s) done? yes, save for three gaps in kids in the park, Mariko, and "tell me?!"
amount of chapter done: ~ 50 - 55 % (probably more depending on how long part II (at home) and III (at the office) become)
character not intimidated by showers: Michiko
character pondering in the park: Subaru
character correcting assumptions: Seishiro
character bringing the luggage: Ameru
warning: if you believe firmly in the institution of marriage, you may not like this chapter.
quote of the day: "Standard report form. Cross out what doesn't apply."
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current mood:  energetic
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| Saturday, November 7th, 2009
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9:32 pm - Manga recommendation: Sakura Gari by Yuu Watase
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Sakura Gari
by Watase Yuu
genre tags: historical (Taisho era), yaoi(not romanticized), for mature audiences
I've come across several of Watase Yuu's earlier works, such as Ayashi no Ceres, Zettai Kareshi and, probably best known, Fushigi Yuugi. While those were entertaining and in parts almost light-hearted reads despite prevalent darker subplots in them, they were a tad too much fantasy to truly "ring my bell". Enjoyable reads, yes, but all-time favorites, certainly no.
Sakura Gari (up to vol. 2) is different. The story plays in Tokyo during the Taisho era (1912-1926) and a lot of research and detail has been given for a believable setting not only of the locations, but also of characters being believable in their time, of their surroundings, interactions, living conditions and events. In end notes of the two volumes already published, Watase-san admits that she put years of research into this story project. She hasn't delved into the BL (or the yaoi) genre before, and believe me, it shows -- in a positive way.
The story is drawn in beautiful, detailed, sometimes almost painful art without the idealizations of characters and especially behavior found in most manga with a BL component. I truly enjoyed reading the first two volumes and am eagerly waiting for the final one.
However, if you consider getting Sakura Gari, be warned: this is not a love story. It is considerably darker than Watase's previous works (though this might be a subjective feeling, because this plot grabbed me a lot more than the others), containing violence (sexual and otherwise). It is clearly geared for a mature audience and the BL component is part of a very precise historical setting that is much more than a mere backdrop of the main characters getting into each others pants.
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current mood: enthralled
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9:23 pm - FM-PMS
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current chapter word count: 5151 (this is getting scary!)
scene(s) worked on today: Subaru waking up, meeting Michiko
scene(s) done? There are a few spots, where more flesh and detail is needed, but not much.
scene(s) to come next: kids & Mariko
character finally filled in: Subaru
character learning a lot more than he wanted: also Subaru
character (almost) risking her head for that: Michiko
research of the day: Suwano chaya
quote of the day: "You might not be aware of it, but Seishiro is very protective about you."
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current mood:  surprised
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| Friday, November 6th, 2009
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4:56 pm - FM-PMS
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current chapter word count: 3828
scene(s) worked on today: Ameru, Seishiro waking up, shower (fangirlservice)
scene(s) completed today: all of the above
amount of chapter considered done: fat 30 per cent!
diagnosis of the past days: severe writing attack
remaining scenes to address: Subaru in the garden, "When did you plan to tell me?!!", Out the backdoor, Yue, getting dressed, at the office
character making an unexpected entrée: Michiko
character forgoing a shave: Seishiro
character who bled on their clothes: Subaru
research of the day: keikogi
quote of the day (1): "I can do butterflies, too."
quote of the day (2): "You might want to recall that I've killed people for less."
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current mood:  devious
current music: Brian Adams - Summer of 69
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| Thursday, November 5th, 2009
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10:11 pm - FM-PMS
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current chapter word count: 3261
scene(s) worked on today: pov-insert:Ameru, Michiko
scene(s) done? yes (Ameru) and no (Michiko)
changes from initial layout: Seishiro wakes up first
character who does not like that much: elder Makoto
character who enjoys the view: Michiko
character getting even more food for thought: Ameru
character still in for a surprise: Subaru
research of the day: butterfly stitches (why aren't the things called "strips" btw.?)
quote of the day: "That's not the bed, that's the age."
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current mood:  tired
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| Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
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6:34 pm - FM-PMS
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current chapter word count: 2404 [after erasing the first writing note]
scene worked on today: some 'splaining
scene completed: yes (discounting tinkering and a possible expansion about getting Su to bed)
character being put to the question: Subaru
madame inquisitor: Makoto
character who gets to be a good daddy for a change: Ameru
character missing all the fun: Seishiro
most useful plot item: a white coffee mug
still insufficiently explained: Susumu's bespelled blade (later!)
quote of the day: "How can you be sure that you didn't forfeit his spiritual existence out of base motives?"
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| Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
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6:21 pm - FM-PMS
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current chapter word count: 1988
less because of updated the writing notes, streamlined layout, and added scribbles!
scene order: Tree Talk, Kokyo East Gardens-{some 'splaining, Michiko, kids in the park, Mariko, When did you plan to tell me?!}, Sakuragi-{driving home, Yue}, Kasumigaseki-{office, meeting, desk sex}, don't know yet-{that's twisted} [location-{scene therein missing, scene partially written}]
character for whom this chapter is going to be an emotional rollercoaster: Subaru
character who watches half of it and won't be happy about it: Ameru
character with an unexpectedly cruel spot yet doing "the right thing": Mariko
character in for some serious reminders about responsibilities: Seishiro
character entirely amused about this: Yue (and Tree-san)
belated worrywart of the chapter: Kamui (if I don't relocate him to the epilogue)
research of the day: peonies
quote of the day (1): "I want to know with whom the father of my children sleeps."
quote of the day (2): "I said get out! Now!"
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current mood: busy
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| Saturday, October 31st, 2009
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9:17 pm - FM-PMS
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Chapter 19:
start-up word count: 2675 (+ scribbles on paper)
planned title: SumeraMori (3)
fixed characters: (in alphabetical order) Ameru, Makoto, Mariko, Michiko, Namane, Seishiro, Subaru
possible characters: (about everybody else)
fixed scenes: Some 'splaining to do, waking up, unexpected revelations, "When did you plan to tell me?!!", driving home, newspaper frames, moving chairs, desk sex, family phone (will/may morph into different and/or larger scenes)
( about the epilogue, the side stories, the sequel's sequel, and all the rest )
quote of the day: "That's twisted!"
p.s.: if you follow my blog on LJ and wonder what happened with chapter 18: it's here.
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current mood: artistic
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| Thursday, October 29th, 2009
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7:56 pm - Book recommendation: On the Edge
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If you - by chance - happen to have caught my recent reads meme back in February, you probably know that I'm a fan of C. L. Wilson's Tairen Soul series.
Today I stumbled across On the Edge by Ilona Andrews, which nearly made me miss my train station (luckily the train ends there ;) ). Other than I.A.s Magic series, which wasn't exactly my cup of tea (in fact, had I recalled her as the author of that one, I probably wouldn't have picked it up), On the Edge gribbed me from page 1. It's a fast-paced, dark-humored, plot-driven 3rd person tale in which the romance is a fitting element to the structure (not the other way round as happens in most fantasy romance stories).
The style of writing and the plot details remind me a lot of what I love about C.L. Wilson's books. And the humor is darker - like L.K. Hamilton's early Anita Blake books (those before the series descended into utter porn after book 4) - without being needlessly gory in description.
( cut for small element but not plot-spoilers ) this is a book to take up (but probably not on a commuter train).
Only repercussion: just one book (so far?).
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current mood: giggly
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| Sunday, October 25th, 2009
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1:16 pm - TB/X fanfic: Family Matters - 18
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Fandom: Tokyo Babylon, X/1999
Story Arch: Decagram
Story: Family Matters
Chap.: 18 - Lunar Eclipse
Rating: NC-17
( read if you dare )
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current mood: accomplished
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| Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
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5:01 pm - FM-PMS
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Chapter 18 now stands tall at above 9200 words and returned to ![[info - personal]](http://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png) solo.
I like it much better now and there's even a cautious "thumbs-up" after the first half of the chapter. However, the new scene that upped the word count by 1500 words is in the second half, so it may be better not to get excited yet.
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current mood:  nervous
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| Sunday, October 18th, 2009
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7:41 pm - FM-PMS
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I'm sad to say that chapter 18 still needs a few days more. This turned out to be a really extensive editing, but it's worth it. The chapter is going to be a lot angrier better read than what I had before!
quote of the day: "I claim your life."
In the meantime: have a look at the spot-sighting results of Seishiro's house! The cat and the business there are *priceless*!
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current mood:  sad
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| Saturday, October 17th, 2009
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5:20 pm - Seishiro's house (spot-sighting results)
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A long-time reader, who doesn't want to be given credit, recently went spot-sighting in the area of Tokyo where I made up Seishiro's house to be.
Given that I invented it in 2005 (before Google Streetview!) based on a Falk city map of Tokyo (1:15000), the findings are almost scary...
( see three large images for yourself )
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current mood:  crazy
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| Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
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11:06 am - on science fiction shows and movies...
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I must admit I liked the original startrek. I also liked some of the settings of the later series (DS-9, Voyager), but I also never truly bothered to follow the series (chronologically or complete), because I got ultimately bored after a dozen eps or so, when nothing of the potential conflict in the setup between characters and surrounding was even remotely addressed or put to use.
The same goes actually for many of the sciencefiction series brought to tv or cinema in the last twenty years. Get me right: I *love* StarWars IV (and its potential), but that was *before* the rest of the saga; I love Eureka with its all nonsense take on scientists, and a few more (notably the original Battlestar Galactica and Bab-5, but again, "it's the setting, stupid." (to misquote Bill Clinton)).
However, when was the last time you saw a believe scientific and social different world set up on tv? The only thing I can spontaneously come up with is StarGate for a series, and even there it's mostly the original seasons with the earlier being the better, the Atlantis part lost most (if not all and then some) of its flavor, and Blade Runner as a movie.
SF author Charles Stross posted about the shortcomings of sciencefiction shows and movies in his online diary that brings these issues to a very clear point in terms of scientific and social world building for spellbinding scifi stories. His example is Startrek:TNG, and even if you don't agree with me (or like TNG to death), have a look at the quoted script excerpt for one of its eps, before the technical helpers filled in the gaps. It's a thought-provoking read.
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current mood:  thoughtful
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| Friday, October 9th, 2009
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10:14 am - FM-PMS
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Editing is proceeding slowly (on my end due to high work load), but it's proceeding well (as in the content is shaping up nicely). Sadly, it's unlikely that I manage to complete it this weekend.
Somehow, the next to last chapter of a story is always causing trouble. Chapter 8 of 36° was the same. *sigh*
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current mood: busy
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| Sunday, October 4th, 2009
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7:44 pm - FM-PMS
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status of chapter 18: sent to edit (wish us luck)
pre-edit chapter word count: 7912 (due to decluttering, polishing and overall getting rid of excessive stuff - of which solo will likely find a lot more that I missed)
status of chapter 19: planned, partially structured, partially written
current word count: 2675 (which includes a lot of stuff to be revised due to changes in 18; so basically: business as usual)
status of chapter 20 (a.k.a the epilogue): see chapter 19
current word count: 1252 (ditto)
status of the sequel: a high pile of things to be told that are not in a tellable order yet
status of side-story "Mariko": structured, partially written
current word count: 2110
chance of it being completed in the foreseeable future: very high (because I love writing teenager!Seishiro & just-post-eye!Seishiro, and the story has both! Besides, after chapter 19 there'll be just enough questions to be answered with it. *eg*)
quote of the day: "Roaches'R'Us."
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current mood: nervous
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| Friday, September 25th, 2009
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7:03 pm - FM-PMS
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Family Matters 18 is complete and ready to edit. Unfortunately, solo is very busy this weekend and next week, so that we'll be tackling the chapter starting Oct 5 (if nothing untoward happens, that is).
I'll use the week in between for the beginning of chapter 19 (and double-checking 18, to make sure editing won't take longer than necessary). :)
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current mood: blank
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| Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
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10:04 pm - FM-PMS
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current chapter word count: 7902
completed? yes! if it survives a reading with a clear head in the morrow, it'll be fit for editing by the weekend. Promised!
what happened? killed the dream and moved the dragon a few lines back.
quote of the day: "Why?"
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current mood: excited
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| Monday, September 21st, 2009
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8:29 pm - FM-PMS
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current chapter word count: 8030
scene worked on today: The Battle
scene complete? not quite. The plot is all there, but the details still don't add up. However, I'm getting closer to what I want to tell there, so there's hope. :)
character winning hands-down the prize for most obnoxiously stubborn OC of the fic: the Emperor's Murderer
because having Subaru have an argument with his dark twin (not sister!) and not dissolving into common places or plain dumbness is like finding a reason for Kamui to wear a fluffy pink bunny costume in a Shakespeare-tragedy. (and no, the necessity for illusions being involved, does *not* help in the least! (though it might with the bunny costume).
quote of the day: "*Replacement!*"
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current mood:  frustrated
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| Thursday, September 17th, 2009
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5:15 pm - FM-PMS
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current chapter word count: back to 7929
but Subaru's argument with the ghost is still a mess (about the last 1000 words)
because there's so much that needs to be wielded in that discussion!
issues to be solved: dragons, dead sisters, also dead emperors (reason thereof), success(ion), partially dead boyfriends (and a gazillian details I can't think of without consulting my scribbles)
eta for editing: I won't risk giving one. It's too depressing to violate self-set deadlines.
quote of the day: He wondered briefly if 'Shiro' was a common name in Okinawa.
unrelated side-note: setting up of new desk (glass + metal legs) and computer system (not new, but necessarily on top of desk) completed. Working condition now much improved (if my sore muscles stop complaining about moving desks, that is). Overall: Yayouch. :)
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current mood: accomplished
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